Previously:
Your most remarkable Game Scripts-related stat of the week comes from the Saints. If you knew that New Orleans trailed 17-7 after the third quarter, and that Drew Brees was healthy (and effective!), what would you expect the Saints pass ratio to be?
65% 75%? 80%?
Try 44%! New Orleans finished the day with 39 rushes against just 31 pass plays, a 44% pass ratio. How remarkable is that?
The last time the Saints trailed by 7 or more points entering the third quarter, and ran on 55% or more of their plays… was in 1983! In fact, when trailing by 7 or more through three quarters, the Saints have never rushed on 50% or more of their plays in the Drew Brees era! And this was a 10-point third quarter deficit!
In fact, since 2000, there have only been three games where New Orleans trailed by a touchdown entering the 4th quarter and finished the game with more rushes than pass plays:
- A meaningless week 17 game in the 2009 season, when Brees did not dress.
- A 2005 game against the Bears
- This 2004 game against Tampa Bay.
New Orleans finished with 12 passing first downs and 12 rushing first downs, the sort of balanced attack that has rarely been seen for the Saints. Even the ground game was balanced: Alvin Kamara had 4 rushing first downs, Brees had 3 (all on 3rd- or 4th-and-1), Taysom Hill had 3, and Mark Ingram had two. Remarkably, New Orleans had four 4th-down conversions, and all four game on the ground.
The full Game Scripts in week 8 are below:
| Team | H/R | Opp | Boxscore | PF | PA | Margin | Game Script | Pass | Run | P/R Ratio | Op_P | Op_R | Opp_P/R Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEN | @ | ARI | Boxscore | 45 | 10 | 35 | 24.5 | 24 | 31 | 43.6% | 45 | 21 | 68.2% |
| KAN | CIN | Boxscore | 45 | 10 | 35 | 18.5 | 41 | 29 | 58.6% | 35 | 19 | 64.8% | |
| IND | BUF | Boxscore | 37 | 5 | 32 | 15.6 | 23 | 37 | 38.3% | 33 | 22 | 60% | |
| LAR | @ | SFO | Boxscore | 39 | 10 | 29 | 13.9 | 26 | 36 | 41.9% | 34 | 24 | 58.6% |
| HOU | @ | JAX | Boxscore | 20 | 7 | 13 | 10.2 | 26 | 37 | 41.3% | 46 | 22 | 67.6% |
| DET | @ | MIA | Boxscore | 32 | 21 | 11 | 7.9 | 23 | 35 | 39.7% | 35 | 19 | 64.8% |
| MIN | @ | NYJ | Boxscore | 37 | 17 | 20 | 7.4 | 41 | 24 | 63.1% | 45 | 24 | 65.2% |
| TAM | CLE | Boxscore | 26 | 23 | 3 | 6.9 | 56 | 32 | 63.6% | 39 | 23 | 62.9% | |
| LAC | TEN | Boxscore | 20 | 19 | 1 | 4.9 | 28 | 16 | 63.6% | 34 | 33 | 50.7% | |
| WAS | DAL | Boxscore | 20 | 17 | 3 | 4.7 | 26 | 32 | 44.8% | 39 | 22 | 63.9% | |
| ATL | NYG | Boxscore | 23 | 20 | 3 | 4.4 | 42 | 20 | 67.7% | 42 | 20 | 67.7% | |
| NWE | @ | CHI | Boxscore | 38 | 31 | 7 | 3.8 | 37 | 27 | 57.8% | 52 | 25 | 67.5% |
| NOR | @ | BAL | Boxscore | 24 | 23 | 1 | -1.7 | 31 | 39 | 44.3% | 41 | 23 | 64.1% |
| CAR | @ | PHI | Boxscore | 21 | 17 | 4 | -6.8 | 41 | 17 | 70.7% | 41 | 24 | 63.1% |
The big comeback was in Philadelphia, with the Carolina comeback covered yesterday. On the flip side, the Broncos had the biggest blowout of the week.
What stands out to you?